Gustav Mahler was born into a Jewish family in Kalischt in Morvia,
then part of the Austrian Empire. When he was 15 he went to
the Conservatory in Vienna, where he studied piano under Julius
Epstein, harmony under Robert Fuchs and composition under Franz
Krenn. At Vienna University he studied history, philosophy and
music.

His career as a conductor took him to Ljubljana,
Vienna, Kassel, Prague, Leipzig and Budapest. In 1887 he attracted
public attention when conducted Wagner's "Ring", replacing Arthur
Nicklisch who had fallen ill. From 1891 until 1897 he worked
for the Opera in Hamburg. In 1897 he became director of the
Opera in Vienna, the most important position in music in Vienna.
He produced classic opera's by Gluck and Mozart and worked together
with Alfred Roller when he staged Beethoven's "Fidelio" and
Wagner's "Ring".

In 1902 he married Alma Schindler,
who was twenty years his junior and the stepdaughter of the
painter Carl Moll. Gustav and Alma had two daughters, Maria
Anna (who was callled 'Putzi' and died as a child in 1907) and
Anna Justina ('Gucki', she became a sculptor). Criticism to
his Jewish descent and his composition led to his resignation
in 1907. He accepted an offer from the Metropolitan Opera in
New York and worked there in 1908. But Alma was left behind
in Europe and their marriage was falling apart. She had an affair
and in 1910 he even consulted Sigmund Freud.

He signed
a long term contract in New York and this time his family went
with him. In 1909 he finished his Symphony No. 9, but he wouldn't
live to see it performed. In February, 1911 he fell ill with
a streptococcal blood infection. Mahler went to Paris where
a new treatment had been developed, but he didn't respond to
it and he died in May in Vienna, aged only 50 and leaving his
"Symphony No. 10" unfinished. At his own request he was buried
beside his daughter at Grinzing, Vienna. When he was buried
the rain was pouring, but when the coffin was lowered the sun
broke through.